What are the Different Classes of Topographic Maps ?

According to International Cartographic Association (1984) it is possible to classify topographic maps as being either:

Another important classification criterion is the scale. One can differentiate within topographic maps:

Furthermore, various subclasses may be recognised within scale categories depending upon their representational characteristics.

Different Class Examples of Topographic Maps

Have a look at the following slides, showing the huge range of topographic maps provided by Swisstopo, the Federal Office of Topography of Switzerland. Click on the next button to reach the examples.

Map source: National maps reproduced with the permission of swisstopo (BA057224)